Lieberson, Peter
Lieberson, Peter
Lieberson, Peter, American composer, son of Goddard Lieberson; b. N.Y., Oct. 25, 1946. He took a degree in English literature at N.YU. (1972). After studies with Babbitt, he trained with Wuorinen at Columbia Univ. (M.A. in composition, 1974), then studied Vajrayana Buddhism with Chögyam Trungpa of the Shambhala tradition. After completing his doctoral studies with Martino and Boykan at Brandeis Univ., he taught at Harvard Univ. (1984–88). He then settled in Halifax, Nova Scotia, as international director of Shambhala training, while continuing to pursue his career as a composer. His compositions are written in a well-crafted 12-tone system.
Works
dramatic: Opera: Ashoka’s Dream (Santa Fe, N.Mex., July 26,1997). orch.: 2 piano concertos: No. 1 (1980–83; Boston, April 21, 1983) and No. 2, Red Garuda (1998–99; Boston, Oct. 14,1999); Drala (Boston, Oct. 9,1986); The Gesar Legend (Boston, June 12, 1988); World’s Turning (1990–91; San Francisco, Feb. 6, 1991); Viola Concerto (Toronto, Feb. 18, 1993); Fire (1995). chamber:Flute Variations for Flute (1971); Concerto for 4 Groups of Instruments (1972–73); Concerto for Cello and 4 Trios (1974); Accordance for 8 Instruments (1975–76); Tashi Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano (1978–79); Lolita- Chamber Variations for 10 Instrumentalists (1983–84); Feast Day for Flute, Oboe, Piano or Harpsichord, and Cello (Washington, D.C., Sept. 21, 1985); Ziji for 6 Instruments (1987; N.Y., Jan. 17,1988); Raising the Gaze for 8 Instrumentalists (San Francisco, March 28, 1988); Elegy for Violin and Piano (1990); Wind Messengers for 13 Instruments (1990); A Little Fanfare I for Flute, Trumpet, Violin, and Harp (1991) and II for Clarinet, Piano, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1993); Variations for Violin and Piano (1993); Rumble for Viola, Double Bass, and Percussion (1994); String Quartet No. 1 (Halifax, June 5, 1994). piano:Piano Fantasy (1975); (3) Bagatelles (1985); Scherzo No. 1 (1989); (3) Fantasy Pieces (1989); Garland (1994). vocal:Motetti di Eugenio Montali for Soprano, Alto, and 4 Instruments (1971–72); Double Entendre for Soprano and 3 Instruments (1972); 3 Songs for Soprano and 13 Instruments (1981); King Gesar for Narrator and 8 Instrumentalists (1991–92; Munich, May 20, 1992).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire